Hedrén, M. (2006) Peristrophe in Flora of Somalia 3: 425
Plants herbs. Inflorescences compound; primary inflorescences 2-flowered, normally only 1 flower fully developed, each inflorescence subtended by a pair of markedly unequa bracts and 2 pairs of linear-subulate bracteoles; secondary inflorescences open cymose clusters of primary inflorescences. Calyces enclosed by the bracteoles, 5 lobed, lobes subequal; corollas 2-lipped, lips widely separated, one lip 2-lobed, the other 3-lobed; tubes narrow, twisted 180 degrees; stamens 2, exserted, anthers 2-celled, with 1 cell above the other. Capsules 4-seeded; seeds orbicular, flattened, papillose.
Peristrophe includes 15 species, all native to the Old World tropics. Only one species is known from Somaliland and Somalia, Peristrophe paniculata.
The genus, as described above, has been transferred to Dicliptera from which it differed in having open cymose inflorescences and placentas that do not rise elastiaclly from the capsule bases.